Proverbs 21
1 As departyngis of watris, so the herte of the kyng is in the power of the Lord; whidur euer he wole, he schal bowe it.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 Ech weye of a man semeth riytful to hym silf; but the Lord peisith the hertis.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 To do merci and doom plesith more the Lord, than sacrifices doen.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Enhaunsyng of iyen is alargyng of the herte; the lanterne of wickid men is synne.
Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
5 The thouytis of a stronge man ben euere in abundaunce; but ech slow man is euere in nedynesse.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 He that gaderith tresours bi the tunge of a leesing, is veyne, and with outen herte; and he schal be hurtlid to the snaris of deth.
Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
7 The raueyns of vnpitouse men schulen drawe hem doun; for thei nolden do doom.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 The weiward weie of a man is alien fro God; but the werk of hym that is cleene, is riytful.
Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
9 It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous with oute roof, than with a womman ful of chydyng, and in a comyn hous.
It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
10 The soule of an vnpitouse man desirith yuel; he schal not haue merci on his neiybore.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Whanne a man ful of pestilence is punyschid, a litil man of wit schal be the wisere; and if he sueth a wijs man, he schal take kunnyng.
When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
12 A iust man of the hous of a wickid man thenkith, to withdrawe wickid men fro yuel.
[God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
13 He that stoppith his eere at the cry of a pore man, schal crye also, and schal not be herd.
There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
14 A yift hid quenchith chidyngis; and a yift in bosum quenchith the moost indignacioun.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 It is ioye to a iust man to make doom; and it is drede to hem that worchen wickidnesse.
Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
16 A man that errith fro the weie of doctryn, schal dwelle in the cumpany of giauntis.
Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
17 He that loueth metis, schal be in nedynesse; he that loueth wiyn and fatte thingis, schal not be maad riche.
Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
18 An vnpitouse man schal be youun for a iust man; and a wickid man schal be youun for a riytful man.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 It is betere to dwelle in a desert lond, than with a womman ful of chidyng, and wrathful.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Desirable tresoure and oile is in the dwelling places of a iust man; and an vnprudent man schal distrie it.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 He that sueth riytfulnesse and mercy, schal fynde lijf and glorie.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 A wijs man stiede `in to the citee of stronge men, and distriede the strengthe of trist therof.
A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
23 He that kepith his mouth and his tunge, kepith his soule from angwischis.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 A proude man and boosteere is clepid a fool, that worchith pride in ire.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Desiris sleen a slow man; for hise hondis nolden worche ony thing.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Al dai he coueitith and desirith; but he that is a iust man, schal yyue, and schal not ceesse.
All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
27 The offringis of wickid men, that ben offrid of greet trespas, ben abhomynable.
[Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
28 A fals witnesse schal perische; a man obedient schal speke victorie.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 A wickid man makith sad his cheer vnschamefastli; but he that is riytful, amendith his weie.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 No wisdom is, no prudence is, no counsel is ayens the Lord.
[Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
31 An hors is maad redi to the dai of batel; but the Lord schal yyue helthe.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
